Disneyland Training is brought to you by Kim who blogs at Savings for Disney. Kim is a Disneyland and a Disney World veteran. Be sure to visit her blog where she talks about how she is saving for her trips to Disney.
Disneyland is made up of four lands, a square, a country, a town, and a street. All will be discussed in detail but today we are walking down the middle of Main Street, USA.
Be sure to check out the You Tube video here.
There is nothing like walking down the middle of Main Street. Entering from under the Train Station and seeing the Castle at the end. As you enter Main Street you will see a variety of transportation options passing by
Horse Drawn Carriage, Omni Bus, Fire Engine, and Horseless Carriage. All start at the south end of the park and drop off at various points in the hub. If you choose to ride one of these take the time to come back down Main Street and visit the other things there.
Picture this: To your right at the hub from when you enter Main Street is:
The Disney Gallery. It is in the old Bank and provides some beautiful artwork you can purchase. (beware: No Strollers allowed)
Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, sorry to say I have’t been in there in forever so I don’t know what the new updated version is like.
The Mad Hatter Shop where you can purchase a variety of hats including mouse ears. Beware they now charge you to get your name put on the back of them. I personally think it is a joke but anything to make a buck.
There is also a bathroom located in this block. It is behind the Disney Gallery and it is usually pretty empty since no one knows it is there.
As you cross a street (where the parade enters and exits) you come upon
The Disney Showcase, Main Street Magic Shop and 20th Century Music Company where you can find all things Disney Movie and Music related.
Next to that is the Main Street Cinema where you can stop and cool off during the day and watch some great old cartoons.
Beyond that is Disneyana which again has some fabulous Disney collectables.
Finishing of the block is the Market House. (Hint: you can get free refills on Coffee and Coco there all day if you bring back your receipt. This is the only place in the park that does this.)
In the courtyard next to this you will find the lockers where you can store all your Disney goodies you purchase or your sweaters and such when it get warm. (Don’t wait until the afternoon to get a locker. If you are looking to get one get it earlier in the day as they do fill up. The prices variety from $7.00 to $15.00 depending on the size.)
Next to the lockers is one of my favorite finds. The secret ice cream shop. This one does some great sundaes and a awesome sliced caramel apple with Granny Smith Apples. Often it is quite so it is a great place to get a treat. While you are here look up and check out the Music Classes going on.
After the courtyard you find Disney Clothier which has a great baby section,
Crystal Arts which is no place for children with grabby hands.
The China Closet that boasts some great seasonal items.
In the front of this is the Silhouette Studio. These are fairly inexpensive and make a great gift.
And finally we have the Photo Shop. They have great people here to help you with your cameras should you break it and here you can also look at those photo pass pictures.
Right behind the photo shop is the First Aid Center/Baby Changing Station. Most people don’t realize this is here and it is a great resource if you need a little Baby time.
Across the way is the Corn Dog Wagon which bodes some of the best corn dogs I have ever tasted and the line shows it and they only sell corn dogs.
Next to it is the Plaza Inn. This is a buffet style restaurant which hosts character dining all day long. Personally, not impressed. But you can celebrate your birthday here along with characters and it does make for a pretty magical experience.
To your left at the hub from when you enter Main Street is:
The Disney Tours sign up station where you can sign up for a variety of tours including Disneyland Tour ($25.00 per person) and the Walk in Walts Footsteps Tour ($64.00 per person including lunch)
City Hall where you can get a variety of maps in different languages and a variety of pins for Anniversaries, Birthdays, First Visits, and other things.
The Firehouse with an old horse drawn engine inside. (If you look up you will see a light on in a window. This is Walts Apartment. He use to keep the light on when he was in the park.)
Next to this is a bathroom. This one is pretty crowded since it is one of the ones everyone sees.
After you cross the gate where the Main Street vehicles enter and exit you will find
The Emporium. It is a large store with several stores in it such as Fortuosity and a great Toy Store. DO NOT go into these within an hour of park closing. There is a massive amount of chaos going on and a chance your will loose a kid or two if you are traveling with them.
Next, is Carnation Cafe. This an outdoor restaurant that has a great Baked Potato Soup. Behind it is a bathroom. This one gets really busy since everyone knows about it.
Attached to this is The Blue Ribbon Bakery where we often stop for breakfast but is a pretty big secret for lunch. You can grab a bite and walk up the street to a bench and enjoy the world go by while eating your food.
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor where Peppermint Ice cream is only sold during the holiday season. (Sit under the elephant in the back while you enjoy your ice cream).
The Candy Palace which hosts a Penny Arcade and usually a ton of people.
Refreshment Corner finishes off this side of the street where you can stop for a hot dog and enjoy some great Piano playing. (If you are a pin trader this is a great place to catch cast members to check out their pins.)
At this point, look around you are in the center of the park where Disney begins. Where are you going to go from here?
Main Street is magical all on its own. If you get a chance sit on the curb and enjoy breakfast from the bakery or an Ice Cream. Watch the world pass you by for a few minutes, trust me you will laugh a bit too. Listen to the Dapper Dan’s and enjoy all the smells. If you are lucky to be there on a quieter day sit down right in the middle of Main Street. We all have a Main Street but where else is it clean enough to sit right down in the middle.
This is also a great place to visit characters. Throughout the day you can often find Mickey, Minnie, and one of the other Fab 5 along with several other characters at all times. Usually here you can get in about 10 characters in one fail swoop. All of them come with their own photo pass picture taker person.
Lastly look up while you are walking down Main Street. See those windows. They all represent someone special in the Disney Eye.
Disneyland is the Happiest Place On Earth. Be sure to learn how to make the most of your trip by reading the Disneyland Training series. You can also browse all the articles I have posted in an easy to use outline. And if you are ready to book your trip, be sure to read about the perks of using an authorized Disney vacation planner (plus it’s FREE!).
The description is perfect — I feel as if I’m walking down Main Street! Walking in on Main Street and seeing the castle is still one of my favorite things about visiting the parks
Just as Tracey posted above, the food receipts do have coupons on them but they are by time – meaning our dinner receipt had a coupon code on it that expired at noon…grrr!!! So read them carefully!
Did you guys all see my music video for this?
We just got back from Disney. Check the receipts from your food purchases. Some receipts had a 20% discount on disney merchandise at select stores at each park.
Thanks for the great Disneyland advice. Looking forward to your next posting.
Thanks for all of the great advice. We are going to Disney in December. Do you know if there will be any great dinner plan deals around that time? Thanks!!
They haven’t offered a Dining plan actually for a long long time. I was about 10 the last time they did. In December the park closes early on some days and the restaurants at the hotels don’t stay open much later. One of my favorites to dine at is Storyteller’s for Dinner. They have a fabulous Buffet and a great regular menu.
I am REALLY trying hard to save and follow your advice so we can go to Disney too!! Thanks for all your great posts!!
My family is vacationing in Florida this summer, and I am hoping to convince them to go to Disney for a day. They’ve all been before, but I have never been. If you had just one day to spend at Disney for the foreseeable future, what would you do?
Oh easy, Conquer your mountains first, then pirates and the mansion, all the normal rides, and Fantasyland last.
I have never been to Disneyland, well because I live in the great state of Florida (YAY). I have to admit that I usually breeze through Main Street because I wanted to visit attractions, ride the rides, etc. Your post has made me want to slow down and visit Main Street at a slower pace. Thank you!
Makes me wish I had spent more time on Main Street when we were there last time!!! Thanks for the wonderful descriptions.
When we stopped for a snack or a rest, we always sat along Main Street to just watch the happenings going by. It’s a treat in itself! :)
The restrooms closest to the City Hall have brass handrails because of my grandmother. Soon after Disneyland opened her and my grandfather took my dad for the day. As she left the restroom she slipped, fell and broke her arm…long story short…my grandfather and my dad had a fabulous day “on Walt’s tab” and by the time they left the park – new brass handrails that weren’t there that morning were installed!
I always make a quick stop into the China Closet to get our Christmas ornament souvenir. There are a few other places in the park that have one or two – but you’ll find them all right there (which only makes the decision harder!)
Great post – I LOVE Disneyland!
Thanks for all the great information. I have never been to the “Land” because I live so close to the “World”. We might be planning a trip to there next year! Cannot wait. Love these! Thanks again!
I always chuckle to myself when I see these posts….remember when I offered my advice on doing Disney….hahahaha…like you need help:) You were so gracious….you should of been like…yeah, I got it covered;)
I am always willing to have help. =)
I am really enjoying the Disneyland training posts – I hope to get there when Cars Land opens!
Thanks for all the info. I never knew that about the Market House!
wow…….thank u! I can’t wait for the hotel post